Utilization of one's car in the summertime poses certain problems particularly when the car is to be left in an area exposed to direct sunlight. The most common problem involves the build up of heat within the interior of a car. Cars exposed to direct sunlight during the summer months can attain an interior temperature well in excess of 130 degrees having a deleterious effect on not only the vehicle compartment but also the contents within the compartment. Conversely, vehicles in cold climates coupled with inclement weather allow ice formation on the windows when the vehicle is unprotected and left in the environment.
In addition, regardless of the climate, a vehicle left unattended in a public place invites inspection of the contents of the interior of the car since the windows provide no obstruction to one's view.
Prior art techniques are known to exist which have attempted to rectify at least one of the above mentioned exemplary problems. However, applicants are not aware of a device which can resolve all of the above mentioned problems while concomitantly being structured to reduce the likelihood that the resulting device is relatively difficult to purloin. The following patents reflect the state of the art of which applicants are aware and are tendered to discharge applicants' acknowledged duty to disclose prior art.
One known instrumentality is formed from cardboard and folded for storage in an accordion shape. The cardboard is configured to fit within the vehicle just inboard the windshield so that actinic radiation is barred from passing therebeyond. It should be noted that although most of these instrumentalities are highly reflective, since the device is installed within the interior of the car, heat is still generated within the vehicle's interior and is not dissipated since most likely the vehicle would be locked and all of the windows closed. A second, known instrumentality includes an opaque or transparent plastic membrane mrerly placed on an outer surface of the windshield and tethered to the vehicle by integrally formed strips of material normally configured as extensions of edge borders which are closed within the leading edge of the passenger and driver door. While this structure perhaps overcomes some of the objectionable features noted in the paragraph immediately supra, this device fails to provide structure which renders it less likely that the device will be purloined. Moreover, this device does not provide unidirectional opacity as does the instant invention.
A further known prior art instrumentality is generally defined as a complete car cover which only incidentally provides any of the above mentioned solutions to problems. The car cover is typically designed to serve as a "portable garage" and therefore is usually formed from soft cloth material which cannot be securely fastened to the car to such a degree that theft will have been precluded. Such a cover also does not provide unidirectional opacity, nor does it repel water or ice.